Solstice
by xeat.ur.soulx
Summary: She came back for her father, but when she learns of her sister's transformation, the Volturi's lingering eyes on the pack, and is reunited with the two loves of her life, things get a little more complicated. - It's been three years since Nori Swan last stepped foot into Washington, and this time she may not get out alive. Sequel to 'Sunburn.' Contains strong language and violence
1. Foreward

**.**

* * *

 **Solstice: Rebirth**

* * *

 _Well I don't know where you're going_  
 _But I know where you've been_  
 _I've been tracing all your footsteps_  
 _I've been counting all your sins_

 _A ticking bomb_  
 _A false alarm_  
 _You left before I had the chance to say_

 _Just call me in the morning_  
 _Call me when you're home_  
 _I know what you've been through_  
 _Just don't let go_

 _Well you reached into my mouth_  
 _And pulled out a single bloody tooth_  
 _I've never shown that to anyone_  
 _Yeah, no one knows but you_

 _A ticking bomb_  
 _A false alarm_  
 _A wrecking ball_  
 _I left before you had the chance to say_

 _Just call me in the morning_  
 _Call me when you're home_  
 _I know what you've been through_  
 _Don't let go_

 _Honey, don't let go_

 _You never knew that it would take so long_  
 _To understand you were right where you belonged_

 _I don't know where we're going_  
 _But I know where we've been_  
 _We've been hiding from each other_  
 _We've been hiding from our sins_

 _Call me in the morning_  
 _Call me when you're home_  
 _I know what you've been through_  
 _Don't let go_

 _Don't know where we're going_  
 _But I know where we've been_  
 _We've been hiding from each other_  
 _We've been hiding from our sins_

 _Call me when you're home_  
 _I know what you've been through_  
 _Don't let go_

 _._

\- Taking Back Sunday


	2. One

**It's short, it's slightly crappy, but I suck at starting fics. I swear it will get better, though!**

 **I have so many ideas for this story. I hope you all will share your ideas and opinions through the reviews.**

 **Love you all, and welcome back for a whole new round of Nori Swan!**

* * *

It's funny how one decision can completely change your life.

" _Lenora Renee Swan."_

Shooting a small thumbs up to my family, who all sat hooting and hollering in the stands, I wobbled across the stage in the heels my mother had forced me to wear. The dean of the school handed over my diploma, and with a short handshake and a generic, whispered, "Congratulations," I bounded off the stage with a slightly twisted ankle and my future in my grasp.

I had worked so hard for this moment. I could almost taste the freedom.

Thirty-two minutes later, the dean had bid us farewell and officially announced the graduating _Class of '09_. Five thousand hats flew into the air while I held mine close to my chest and sucked a steadying breath in. It seemed so unreal. I had never imagined making it to this point in my life.

When I'd chosen to leave Washington, Dad had been so sure that I would return in a few weeks once I had gotten over my heartbreak. Three weeks quickly turned into three years. Mom had been thrilled to have a chance to "bond" with me, while Phil was just glad to have someone around who understood his baseball lingo and didn't complain about his sweaty feet on the couch.

I missed my dad more than anything, though. I missed my pack. I missed Bella. I missed-

"Nori!"

Standing on my tiptoes, I spotted my father's signature mustache and began weaving through the crowd towards him. He had been so excited to hear that I was attending my graduation ceremony from Florida State College in Jacksonville. I'd decided against any celebration from my online high school, though he'd still sent a handsome check in the mail and asked me to consider college. The years had been hard on him after losing both of his daughters in the same six months, but I took solace in the fact that he had Sue Clearwater around to keep him company. They had become practically inseparable over the years.

Seth liked to joke that it would only be a matter of time before we were legally legit brother and sister.

Dad wrapped me in a bear hug as soon as he reached me, his excitement unable to be contained as the laughter shook his body.

"It's a damn miracle," he proclaimed. "A Swan finally got a college degree!"

Shortly after I'd left, Bella had planned a quick wedding in town and disappeared. Dad saw her at Christmas every year, and last he'd heard, she'd moved to Canada with the entire Cullen family. She had a daughter, and I couldn't help but wonder what kind of creature that child was, or if my sister had chosen to adopt a poor, unsuspecting human.

Either way, it was like a story from a science fiction novel.

Dad had always pushed the two of us to make something of ourselves — to go as far as we could and never let anyone stop us. When Bella had chosen to settle down and get married instead, I could practically hear the fear of the past replaying itself in my father's voice over the phone the day I'd finished high school.

Mom and Phil joined us and took turns hugging and congratulating me. Mom was a blubbering mess, though she claimed that it was a healthy way to release the buildup of her inner emotions. She couldn't remain zen with such a buildup occurring.

Phil was just rolling his eyes good-naturedly at my mother's antics.

Spending so much time with them - what with living under their roof - it was easy to see why my mother and Phil were so perfect together. Phil was everything my mom was not, and yet, he was her perfect puzzle piece. She was never the doting type, and Phil had no idea how to react to sweet gestures without a tinge of awkwardness. He could watch her spazz out in a crowd over unclean auras and freak over certain calming candle scents filling her senses and just smile, because her craziness was cute.

Meanwhile, my dad just thought she was a lunatic.

"Oh, honey!" Mom reached forward and moved the bangs off of my forehead. "You look like such an adult!"

I laughed and leaned into Dad's side. I was relishing his presence while I had the chance, because he would be on the next flight to Washington before I could blink. It was the sad reality of living in another state.

"Mom, I'm nineteen. I legally became one a year ago." I swooped my bangs back in place, letting them hover slightly over my forehead. My hair had been one of the first things to go within the first month of moving to Florida. I enjoyed the choppy pixie locks that were easy to manage and made me appear older. It was a needed change.

My mother clasped her hands together while Phil wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Well, I'm starved. Ready to celebrate?" he offered with a crooked grin on his scruffy face.

We all eagerly agreed and headed for the parking lot, my degree in hand and the excitement for a new future nearly overflowing.

* * *

The beach at the end of the boardwalk was packed with college graduates, celebrating their first night of freedom. A bonfire had been built in the center of the strand, illuminating the pale sand and flashing off of the cool, dark water.

It reminded me of similar fires on a rocky beach three thousand miles away. I swallowed down the prickling feeling in my chest and forced a smile on my face as my toes touched the different, smooth grains of sand.

"Look who decided to show up!"

I grinned at the group of people who had turned to watch me stumble across the strand to their sides. The tallest of the bunch quickly reached out and pulled me into his side.

"Hey, babe." He squeezed me to him, leaning most of his weight over me as the affects of alcohol took place. "Why are you wearing a sweater? It's, like, fucking hotter than hell out here."

I rolled my eyes with a laugh and smacked his t-shirt covered chest with the back of my hand, sending an incredulous look to the rest of my college acquaintances.

"Grant, if you call me that one more time, I'll castrate you," I threatened with another laugh, earning chuckles around the group. "And I'm cold," I shrugged, fingering the knitted sleeves covering my knuckles. "Don't judge me."

The heat of the bonfire tinted my cheeks pink as I wrapped my arms around my own midsection and chatted with the people around me while the party raged on. It would only be a matter of time before the cops were called, and I didn't want to have any alcohol in my system or any other reason to be in trouble. I politely turned down drink offers and kept upwind of the people smoking suspiciously-wrapped cigarettes.

The overwhelming feeling of too much to process hit after half an hour of standing around, chatting aimlessly. It was a side effect of living in such a populated city after growing up in a rinky-dink town with the same people I'd known since birth. I couldn't quite find comfort in groups of people, and would always make up excuses to escape for a minute and clear my head. If not, I'd end up losing my temper and snapping at someone.

I tried not to think of how the feeling and mood shift had only began after I'd left Washington.

I slipped away from the loud, obnoxious crowd and headed down the beach a ways. It was dark, but the full moon shining overhead lit the beach enough to see easily, and I found myself basking in the calm, cool glow.

A smile came to my face as a memory of sneaking out of my father's house years before came to mind. It had been a similar moonlit night, and my _ex_ had dropped me off from the best, yet most awkward date of my life.

Jacob had found me on the beach.

Shaking the memory off, I sucked in a deep breath and focused on the sound of the waves. I hated reliving my past life. It defeated the entire purpose of leaving and starting over.

"So, what's the plan now, Miss Priss?" a voice spoke as it approached. His arms wrapped around my shoulders from behind in what appeared to be an intimate embrace to anyone looking, but in reality, it was just our friendship. We were often confused for two people dating — which is exactly what Grant wanted out of our relationship, but that was never a possibility to me. He understood, even if he didn't like it.

My heart would forever belong to another, and it would never be fair to make promises to someone and not mean them.

I reached up and patted his hands gently. "What plan?" I asked rhetorically. "I just barely finished college _today_ , G. At least give me twenty-four hours to come up with the rest of my life."

He chuckled from nearly a foot over my head and released my shoulders to move to my side. His long legs weaved as we slowly made out our way up the strand and away from the pounding bass and laughter behind us. He was obviously tipsy, but Grant had always held his liquor well. I trusted him.

"I mean, are you staying in the city or . . .?" He cut his eyes suggestively at me, and I rolled my own as I shoved him lightly away.

"Don't even go there," I warned. "You know I can't go back."

For the first year after I had arrived in Florida, I'd spent the majority of the time secluded in my room in Mom and Phil's condo near the beach, overloading myself with online classes in an attempt to graduate from high school a year early.

I succeeded, and after much deliberation, made the decision to attend college. Dad's pleas and the check in the mail had been the main deciding factors, if I were being honest.

In my first ever college course, a six-foot-eight fitness guru had taken the seat next to me and struck up a conversation about our shitty math professor. He'd reminded me so much of the boys I'd left back home, I couldn't ignore him. Our friendship had been secure ever since.

I'd only confided in two people since arriving in Florida, and one of them had been Grant.

"You can't, or you won't?" His joking demeanor suddenly grew serious as he stopped walking and swayed slightly before righting himself and shooting me a knowing look. "Nori, running is stupid. If you don't face that guy, you'll never be able to move on completely." His face suddenly relaxed into a grin. "And if you don't move on, I'll never have the chance to date you, babe."

Rolling my eyes as he laughed, I punched him in the arm.

* * *

"Tell everyone I miss them," I murmured in my father's ear as he hugged me tightly in the center of the airport. "And make Seth video chat me later at Emily's. I haven't heard from them in a week."

Dad chuckled and leaned back. "That video thingamabob is a hell of an invention." His mustache quirked up as he held my shoulders. "You'd better not grow another inch before I see you again, kid."

Rolling my eyes, I pulled him in for another hug. "No promises."

The loudspeaker announced Dad's flight number for his connecting flight to Chicago, and before I knew it, he was grasping his overnight bag in one hand and glancing towards the door.

"Are you sure you don't wanna come along?" he whispered, his eyes pleading with me. "You know, they all ask about you. It's a wonder Ja-"

"I can't," I interrupted with a grimace. "Dad, I need _time_."

His brows furrowed as he scoffed lightly and stepped back a bit. "Nori, you've had three years. You've gotta be over that boy by now."

Scowling, I felt my mouth move without my permission. "Oh, like it didn't take you _seventeen_ years to get over Mom."

I regretted the words as soon as they were heard, especially after seeing the way his shoulders deflated and his eyes softened in sadness. He sighed heavily and reached out to bring me in for one last hug, though it was stiff and awkward.

"I'll be seeing you, kid," he murmured, and then he headed towards his terminal.

I blinked back tears, my throat too thick to scream out an apology as I watched him disappear beyond the doorway.

I would most likely apologize over the phone, though I knew it would never be the same. Three thousand miles seemed to put a damper on things.


	3. Two

". . . and Paul nearly exploded on _all_ of them. Man, it was funny. Quil and Em sure are masters when it comes to pranks. And then Thursday, Sam thought it would be a great idea to . . ."

Humming along to the phone chatter, I made my way up the downtown circuit, pushing through the crowds of tourists flocking the streets during their summer vacations and the locals enjoying their Saturday afternoons. I'd been on my feet for hours, suffering through interview after interview as my job search continued.

I was determined to make something of myself, and now that I'd had a full day to relax after two long years of college dedication, I was out and about in an effort to find the perfect job.

It's funny how you can imagine your life one way and watch it unfold in an entirely different direction.

Growing up, I'd always assumed that by the time I even considered college, I would be in a steady relationship with Embry and the two of us would be rooming with Quil and Jacob, while the latter of the group would be happily in love with my sister. In my fantasies, his feelings were reciprocated.

However, at nineteen, I was stalking along the strip, high heels cutting into my sore feet and a pencil skirt constricting my legs as I rushed towards the coffee shop on the corner of fifth and eighth. It was the only place in the world that I had found to have muffins that tasted almost exactly like Emily's.

It was a little piece of home in this foreign place, even if I wasn't quite ready to face home yet.

A shoulder bumped into mine, causing me to drop my cellphone onto the concrete and stumble sideways as I caught my balance. "Fucking jerk," I grumbled at the back of a teenage boy in board shorts as he continued down the street with his friends and not even an apology. I scrambled to pick up at phone before it was stepped on and held it up to my ear.

"Nori? Are you okay? What was that?" Seth questioned frantically. He had always been a little overprotective, but as a stand-in little brother, it was expected. I was the same way when it came to him, and I was sure Leah was as well.

"I dropped my phone," I explained as I picked up my pace and turned the corner, spotting the sign of the shop just ahead. "Sorry about that."

He chuckled. "You're still as clumsy as ever." I opened my mouth to retort that it hadn't been my fault, when he cut me off. "Oh, Charlie got back in the morning. He crashed on the ride home, so he probably never called you."

Biting my lip, I tried not to let my mood dampen at the fact that I'd forgotten all about my father's flight. My mind had been elsewhere all morning.

"He and mom are getting _really_ gross with their PDA now, dude. You should se-" He paused, clearing his throat as he realized what territory he was getting himself into. After the first year of constant pleas and comments about visiting or returning home, I'd finally gone off on my friend and threatened his manhood if he didn't let me sort everything out on my own. I needed time, and everyone's begging had only made it all worse.

It had slowed as I dove into schoolwork and early graduations. But I knew that now, with my schooling complete, a whole new round of comments and pleas would be in store.

"Maybe Sue can come with Dad next time he visits," I offered in an attempt to lighten the mood. I hoisted open the heavy glass door of the coffee shop and entered, my senses immediately bombarded with coffee grounds and warmth.

I wrapped one sweater-sleeved arm around my middle as a cold chill ran down my spine. I could never shake the cold.

"Yeah," Seth muttered halfheartedly. "She'd like that."

I ordered my coffee as Seth picked on me for my fancy, basic girl ways and took a seat in the back corner with the steaming cup and an enormous blueberry muffin as Seth rambled on about more pack humor at home that I'd missed. It was always like this; he would tell me about the jokes and incidents at Emily's — sometimes repeating himself in his excitement — and I would laugh along as I tried not to imagine myself there with them. I couldn't bring myself to cut off the pack, no matter how toxic certain members had been in my life. They were family.

"It's been three years, Nori." Seth's sudden serious voice brought me out of my daydream as the chunk of muffin I'd brought to my mouth fell to my lap.

I brushed the crumbs off of my skirt as I mumbled, "I see your math skills are still as sharp as ever."

"I see you're still avoiding us like the plague."

Sighing, I munched down on a pinch of muffin. "Seth," I whined. "Please don't."

He scoffed. "Why not? I've been nothing but understanding for three _years_ , Nor. I miss you. We _all_ miss you." His emphasis on _all_ wasn't looked over, and I wondered if he really meant it.

"I need to get my life on track. I've got so many plans and ideas, and coming back will only-"

"You suck at excuses," he interrupted with a small laugh. "You know I love you to death, Nor, but the longer you stay away, the worse it will be when you come back." He paused. "We just want you back, Nori."

I chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "It's just easier this way," I murmured as my chest throbbed in obvious disapproval of my words. I rubbed the space directly over my heart and winced as it hurt, as if a bruise had formed over the chest cavity.

The pain had been around for so long, it had practically soaked into the bones.

"It's not for Ja-"

"Seth," I warned.

"Or Em-"

"Stop!" My sudden outburst had brought the attention of several other patrons, so I turned to look out the window and people watch as I blinked back tears.

Seth sighed. "It is really easier, Nori? Or is that just what you're telling yourself?"

I couldn't give him an answer.

* * *

I ripped the heels from my feet as my mother's condominium building came into sight. My feet ached and my eyes dropped as I padded into the lobby.

A whirlwind of dark skin and braids appeared as soon as the elevator opened and I found myself wrapped in a massive hug by the tiny girl.

"Whoah, where'd you come from?" I mumbled, though I knew she wouldn't respond. Though she could read lips, her face was directed away from mine and her ears would not catch my words.

She leaned back with a toothy grin spreading her chocolate skin. "You graduated!" she announced excitedly, her voice slightly nasally and her tongue thick as she formed the words. "How does it feel?"

Laughing, I stepped into the elevator with her and pressed the button for our floor. "It's surreal," I said, facing her as I spoke so she could watch my mouth. "I'm not sure if I'm ready to adult just yet."

Rolling her wide, expressive brown eyes, the thin girl brushed her long braids over one shoulder and smiled. "You will be fine. You have always been more grown than others our age." She grasped my hand. "I have faith in you."

My chest fluttered as she spoke the words. It had been so long since someone had had faith in me. They'd been disappointed, frustrated, or tried to trust in my decisions, but none had had blind _faith_ in me.

Imani had been the first friend I'd made when I had arrived in Florida. She and her grandparents lived next door to my mother and Phil, and Mom was fascinated with their culture and heritage, so we visited quite often. I grew a soft spot for the deaf girl who was a lonely online student, much like myself. She had been bullied profusely in school, though, and with time away from that environment, she had blossomed into a kind, outgoing individual.

It gave me hope that time would change me, as well.

"Is Grandmama making dinner?" I asked, referring to her elderly grandmother who was a fantastic chef of Jamaican cuisine.

Imani blanched. "Oh no," she whispered. "I was on my way to get eggs when I ran into you!"

I grinned and held up one hand to calm her. "I'll trade you some eggs for a plate of heaven."

The elevator doors opened on the seventeenth floor and Imani grabbed my hand with a laugh, dragging me towards my apartment.

* * *

The clock flashed _1:00_ as I leaned forward on one arm and laughed into the camera of my laptop. The three hour difference between Florida and Washington was a pain in the ass, especially when Kim could only chat after work at ten in the evening.

But it wasn't like I slept anymore, anyway.

"I think Jared is going to propose soon," she admitted with a hopeful smile as she examined her nails. "He got all flustered the other day when someone mentioned rings, and Emily gave me that _knowing look."_ She raised her brows suggestively as if copying the look, and I burst into laughter at the accuracy of it.

"I wouldn't be surprised," I said as I scribbled a few song lyric ideas down on a piece of paper. "I mean, you guys are the _perfect_ couple. And now that you're in remission, what better way to celebrate than a wedding?" I shot her a cheeky grin as she blushed.

After three years of fighting the cancer, Kim had been declared cancer free. Of course, there were still possibilities of it returning, but she'd beat it once. She could always beat it again.

I hoped.

A few weeks after I'd left Washington, Kim had video chatted me in tears with a pair of scissors of Jared's shave as she blubbered over chemotherapy and how she was starting to lose her hair. She was terrified of being the only one with no hair and having people stare or pick on her.

I'd stolen Phil's razor and we'd shaved our heads over the camera that night. Surprisingly, my mother wholeheartedly supported my decision, and Jared had joined the club the next morning. Three thousand miles away, and I still managed to make Kim feel better about her loss of hair. I ended up sending her a ton of beanies and headbands to match my own collection.

Her hair had grown to chin length and framed her face pleasantly, while I had continuously trimmed mine to stay short. We'd changed over the years, but our friendship had remained as strong as ever.

"You'll never guess who _did_ propose, though," Kim suddenly said, her eyes flashing with mischief.

I mulled it over for a moment before shrugging. "Who?"

Kim grinned like a cheshire cat. "Paul."

My jaw dropped in shock as she giggled. "W-What?! Since when did he even have a girlfriend?"

Kim shrugged. "He imprinted on Rachel Black last year, but never told anyone. She announced the other day that she would be moving back to Seattle to take some dream job and he _freaked_. He blurted out, 'Marry me,' in front of everyone and she nearly choked on her drink while everyone got really quiet." She shook her head in disbelief. "You should've been there, Nor. He got down on _both_ knees and poured out his heart, and she thought he was high." Sitting back in her desk chair, she got a pensive look on her face. "It was really sweet, though. The stuff he said, you know? I would've died and gone to heaven if Jared had done that for me."

I bit my lip as I tried to ignore the pinging in my chest and the longing in my own heart for someone to do that for me.

"Did she leave?" I whispered.

Kim's eyes met mine through the screen before she nodded. "She told Paul she wasn't ready for commitment." Sighing, she smiled sadly. "It's funny how it was _Paul_ who was always afraid of commitment, and now the tables have turned." Taking a deep breath, Kim's smile became a bit lighter. "He's determined, though. He goes to visit her on the weekends. Jared said he even brings her flowers and whatnot."

I snorted in shock at that information. Paul had never seemed like the type to ever buy anything for a girl, but as I thought back on my memories with him, I paused. He'd been such an angry individual, but he'd also been caring — in his own, abrasive way.

Voices in the background caught my attention, and Kim whipped around just in time to see Jared walk through the door. His eyes met mine through the screen and widened before flickering to his side.

"Who's Kim talking to?" another voice asked, and the deep, rough undertones were all too familiar.

Jared's mouth opened and closed before he choked out, "Um, uh, nobody. Nothing. No one. I-"

Another body stepped into view just as Kim turned back to face me with an apologetic expression. She opened her own mouth to tell me something, but my eyes moved too quickly before I could permit them.

As soon as they met the dark brown orbs through the screen, I slammed my laptop lid shut.

With my heart racing in my chest and my fingers tingling, I closed my eyes and focused on breathing evenly. I was shaking like a leaf and the dark chocolate eyes plagued my every thought.

I'd thought leaving Washington would be easy. _Anything_ would be easy compared to the daily turmoil I faced on Washington soil.

What a naive little girl I'd been.

Grabbing my cell phone from the bedside table, I tapped out a text to the one person who would be able to distract me at one in the morning.

"So, was it another nightmare?" Grant asked as soon as I climbed into his car. I'd easily snuck out of the condo in pajama pants and a sweater with no cares, and upon seeing him, I found that he had done the same, save for the t-shirt covering his torso.

I shook my head as he peeled away from the curb and merged into traffic. For the middle of the night, the city was still a busy place. It never slept, almost like me.

On the occasions that sleep actually took me under, I would find myself running through the forests from back home, panting heavily as breath threatened to leave. I'd never encounter any friend or foe; I simply ran. And when I would wake up, I'd be just as out of breath and tired as before.

What made them nightmares, though, was the utter feeling of helplessness and dispair that practically suffocated me every time.

The dreams had driven me crazy during the first year, but after awhile, I welcomed them. At least they meant that I received a bit of sleep.

Turning the music up, Grant drove smoothly through the city as a current hip-hop track soothed the atmosphere, and I stared out the window at the passing nightlife while I enjoyed the peaceful distraction.

Jacksonville was dangerously beautiful, with its underground community and cultural nightlife, but it was nothing compared to La Push. The calming waves, the comforting green foliage that never seemed to change, and the familiar faces at every corner were all I'd ever dreamed of.

I'd fucked everything up.

Grant parked the car and climbed out with me following close behind. Waffle House was our go-to when we needed distractions late at night. Between my fucked up past and his fucked up home life, we needed our friendship and each other's shoulders.

It was the main reason why he was okay with me choosing to not date him. He enjoyed having me as a friend far more than to lose me over a failed relationship.

I wanted to trust in his words and believe that our friendship was strong, but I'd been screwed over by best friends in the past. It was hard to trust anymore.

The waitress took our usual orders and called them out to the cook. The building was quiet and empty, save for the two workers and a group of club goers on the far side, and Grant's incessant chatter about his acceptance into several four-year universities in his parents' home state of Texas and how difficult it was to make a final decision.

Grant leaned forward on his forearms while I lounged with my back against the window and my legs stretched across my booth.

"You should just forget about nightmares and Washington and the past," he demanded out of the blue. "Come to Texas with me this fall. You're smart; you could totally get into any school." He shrugged with a smirk. "And I could always use a hot roommate."

I slung a sugar packet at his cocky self and giggled as he knocked it away before it could hit his face. For a human, he had amazing reflexes.

And that was coming from someone who spent half a year with wolves.

I took a large sip of drink to focus my mind elsewhere.

"Lord, help the woman that ends up with you," I muttered with a smirk as he shot me an equal grin.

"Careful, babe." I held up another packet as a threat, and he quickly rephrased his words. " _Nori_. It just might be you."

Rolling my eyes, I dropped the sugar packet in my hands onto the table and chuckled at his antics. "You never quit, do you?"

Grant's smirk faded into an easy-going grin as he leaned back in his booth and crossed his thick, muscular arms. He had been a football player, more specifically an offensive lineman, all of his life, until a torn ACL ruined his future in the profession. He had been forced to drop out of university due to his loss of scholarship, take up classes at the local community college, and start over. He understood what it felt like to lose everything, and that was just another reason why we'd connected so easily.

"Pissing you off is too entertaining."

I flipped him off as the waitress sat our dishes down in front of us, and we spent a solid five minutes digging into the hearty, greasy food. It warmed my throat as it slid down into my stomach, but yet the cold still seeped into my veins and kept me shivering slightly beneath my knit sweater.

"You know," Grant began conversationally while he shoveled eggs into his mouth. "Maybe I should just take a year off. Figure out what I want to do before I go back to school." He shrugged. "My mom has been all on my case about how I have a degree in general classes, which is basically useless." Stabbing a poor, defenseless egg crumble, he sighed. "Fucking bullshit."

I swallowed a mouthful of grits. "It's not useless," I promised. "You just need to finish your last two years somewhere. A year off wouldn't hurt, though." Swirling my spoon around the bowl of grits, I chewed on my lower lip in thought. "You should do what makes you happy. Fuck what anyone else says or thinks; if it's what's best for you, then it's worth doing." I offered a halfhearted smile. "I mean, look at me. I moved across the country against everyone's wishes, and I've never been happier."

Grant snorted, dropping his fork as he clasped his hands and rested his scruffy chin on them. He gazed at me with knowing, blue eyes. "Really? You don't sleep," he checked off, sticking one finger out. "You never allow yourself to grow close to anyone unless they force their friendship upon you." Another finger flicked out. "And you always get these far away, depressed looks every time you talk about Washington." A third finger joined the rest as he shook his head. Relaxing his fingers again, he stared at me pensively for a moment before dropping his arms and returning to his meal. "I just don't understand you, Nori Swan. I think this whole 'time' thing is bullshit. I think you're just too scared to face your past, but until you actually go back to Washington and hash out whatever it is with and with his lips pursed and his eyes blazing, he almost reminded me of a worried Jacob Black.

I reached across the table and squeezed his hand, not uttering a word. I was speechless at how well he'd read me, even with only the tidbits of information I had offered during our friendship. I was thankful to have him around, though his words had jolted me to the core.

I knew that he was right. They were _all_ right. Running away wasn't the answer. It was easier to run instead of facing reality, but I was tired. I was so _tired_ of fighting and being strong.

And yet, I couldn't even fathom the idea of returning. I wanted to stay in Florida and continue with life as if I'd never lived in Forks. I _needed_ to stay away, to be free of the chains that the supernatural seemed to shackle me with.

As I later sat on my bed and watched the sun rise, I couldn't help but wonder how it looked so easy to be reborn.


	4. Three

**You guys are amazing! I have thoroughly enjoyed reading through the reviews and hearing your thoughts/opinions on both Sunburn and Solstice. Please continue to review!**

 **I know I've been spreading things out, but it's all for a reason. Grant and Imani will be important later on in the story, so I wanted you all to get a taste of their personalities beforehand.**

 **On another note, I've had a lot of complaints about my decision to rate this story M. Sunburn was T because it related to teenagers and focused on that sort of love life. However, they are all adults now. There will be more adult situations and whatnot, and I rated it M to be on the safe side. As of right now, I do NOT plan on writing any "lemons" or whatever unless you guys ask for them. So, review and give me your thoughts on that!**

 **As always, please continue to share thoughts and opinions in the reviews, and feel free to PM me if you'd like. I always enjoy talking about different ideas and possibilities regarding the direction of this story and the characters.**

 **And now, the moment many of you have been waiting for . . .**

* * *

 _I was freezing._

 _Shades of green and brown surrounded me as I blew warm air into my cupped hands and rubbed them together. The forest was blanketed in a low-lying fog, while a soft mist fell from the overcast sky. It was calming, peaceful, and breathtaking._

 _I knew this place like the back of my hand._

 _The forest was filled with an almost eerie silence, as if void of all wildlife. All I could hear were the sounds of twigs and brush snapping underneath my feet as my legs carried me north._

 _These trees had watched me grow over the years. They had comforted me during my darkest moments, and sheltered me from many a storm. The forest had been my safe haven as a child and an imagination escape when my friends were there to play._

 _But now, the ominous feeling in my gut and the chills running down my spine made the forest seem terrifying._

 _I broke through the tree line to find myself on the edge of a meadow. A sense of deja vu settled over me, and as my eyes danced over the tall grass blowing lightly in the wind and the small brook on the far edge, I realized exactly where I was._

 _It was the same meadow I'd visited with Bella, the day we almost died._

 _Hugging my midsection in an effort to stay warm, I stepped away from the safety of the trees and crossed the meadow, exactly as we had done all of those years ago. I kept my eyes down, watching my feet crush the stalks of grass and leave behind evidence of my visit._

 _Another set of feet came into view and I froze in place as my eyes flashed up to meet_ _a familiar pair._

 _One was green, while the other was brown._

 _"You came," he murmured, standing barely a foot away i_ _n the exact same spot that Laurent had been a lifetime ago_ _. The heat from his body surrounded me, but my skin refused to absorb it. I was freezing, and nothing seemed to be capable of warming me._

 _I blinked and opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I tried again, but air whooshed from my lungs without a sound._

 _He smiled slightly, showing off his dimples. They were the dimples I'd once loved so much._

 _"I knew you'd forgive me someday." He reached forward and brushed a hand over my cheek in a caring gesture. "I never stopped thinking about you." His eyes burned into mine, and for a moment, I was reminded of the boy I'd fallen in love with as a teenager._

 _I reached out for him, but he grabbed my wrist in a tight grip as a smirk grew on his face._

 _"Uh, uh, uh," he chastised, squeezing my wrist as his eyes darkened. I flinched as a pain ran up my arm from the bruising he was leaving behind._ " _I'm not yours to touch, anymore."_

 _I jerked my arm away from his hand and glared heatedly up at the boy who had changed almost abruptly in real life as he had there in the meadow._ _I wanted to scream at him that he'd broken me, that he'd driven me away from the only home I had ever known, that by cutting off our friendship completely, he had successfully ruined me for all future relationships._

 _My mouth opened and no sound came out._

 _A deep growl filled the meadow, rumbling off of the trees like thunder and sending a new set of chills down my spine and arms. I stepped backwards in shock as both of our heads whipped towards the source of the sound._

 _Standing by the trees, in the same place I had emerged from moments before, a ginormous wolf bared its teeth in our direction. Its russet fur flittered softly as the breeze caught it, but its dark brown eyes stayed focused on us._

 _My pulse raced and my fingers itched to run through the soft russet tufts without my permission._

 _The wolf slowly stalked towards us, following the same path of footprints I'd left behind in the grass, while keeping its head low and its teeth on display. It was as if the creature had been tracking me, looking for me, silently protecting me from afar._

 _As it reached me, the wolf sniffed the air around me before growling low and glancing over my shoulder once again, its eyes burning with hatred. I fought to keep myself from reaching out and petting its muzzle to calm it._

 _"Well, isn't this cute," a voice said directly behind me, followed by tinkling laughter. I spun around, and a few yards back from where the familiar boy had previously been, a pale young girl stood. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a tight bun, showing off her perfectly symmetrical, oval face, and I clenched my fist as I took in her beauty that screamed "vampire."_

 _It was her bright red eyes that brought my heart into my throat._

 _I tried to place her, but came up empty-handed._ _I had never seen this girl before in my life, but she obviously recognized me._

 _She smiled, the action making her look conniving and mischievous. "He didn't seem this protective over your sister."_

 _The wolf pressed its body against my side and as soon as its fur came into contact with my skin, warmth burst through my veins. I sighed heavily as the cold tingling in my fingertips and toes subsided, leaving nothing but a healthy body temperature._

 _"I wonder," she pondered aloud, flashing another grin that showed off her sharp teeth as she spoke her words thoughtfully. "What would he do if I killed you right here?"_

 _Her red eyes flashed just as my hands reached out for the wolf as it leapt towards our enemy, only to fall halfway and land on the ground, whining and yelping pitifully as it flopped around, almost in a seizure-like state._

 _Tinkling laughter filled the meadow as my eyes met the tortured brown ones of the wolf._

I jerked up in bed, my heart racing and my skin clammy as I whipped my head around to take in my surroundings. The room was dark and quiet, save for the city sounds through the window. I dropped back heavily against the pillow as I kicked off my sweat-soaked sheets.

I had finally dreamed of something other than running aimlessly through the woods for the first time in three years, and all it left me with was a massive headache and a heap of confusion.

* * *

The call came at five forty-three on a Tuesday afternoon.

Phil and I had spent half an hour yelling at the television as the referees continually made bad calls, while I iced my throbbing, freshly tattooed calf and Mom tested out the loom we'd gotten her for her birthday. The day had been relaxing and my mind had been at ease since leaving the tattoo parlor with Imani after one of my infamous spontaneous urges.

Mom answered the phone as soon as the shrill ring broke through the peaceful calm of the condo. Her voice could be heard murmuring into the receiver from the kitchen in the open floorplan as Phil cursed at the screen and I sneezed the ziplock bag of ice in my hand like a stress ball.

"That's bullshit!" Phil screamed, slinging his baseball cap onto the ground from jumping to his feet from the armchair. "Where was the defense? _Where_ the _hell_ was the defense?!"

I snickered at Phil as he huffed and sat back down in anger, annoyed with the game that had barely begun. It was such a contrast between watching a game with my father; Dad occasional cursed and yelled, but mostly relaxed and enjoyed the game, while Phil flew off the handle at any little mistake. He was a hothead and my mother was zen. It worked.

Phil took a swig of beer and glanced up over my head, his dark brows furrowing at something behind me.

"Ren, what's wrong?"

I turned my upper body — being careful to keep my leg still on the couch as the ice lowered the swelling — and caught sight of my mother. The telephone was still in one hand, though she'd already hung up. Her eyes were staring off into space, her jaw slightly slack, and her lip seemed to be trembling even from a distance.

My heart dropped in my chest as my mind raced through a million possibilities.

"Mom . . .?" I called softly, desperately needing to know what was going on. A dark, ominous feeling spread through the room as Phil turned the television volume down and Mom slowly placed the phone back in its cradle.

Her eyes locked with mine as she came around the kitchen island and approached the back of the couch. I stared up at her in confusion and worry as her hands brushed my short hair away from my forehead and moved to frame my face.

"Honey, there's- there's been an accident."

My pulse raced faster and nervous sweat began to bead under my arms, yet I was freezing.

My mother sighed heavily as she blinked away tears. "Y-Your f-father-" she stuttered, choking on the words as her eyes flickered to Phil and back to me, unsure of how to continue.

I already knew.

"N-No," I whispered, shaking my head slightly, before I pushed away from her harshly and stood. My leg throbbed slightly and the bag of ice hit the floor with a wet _thump_ , but they were ignored as I shouted, "What did they tell you, huh? Some bullshit excuse to make me come running back to help them?" Tears filled my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. "It was Seth, wasn't it?" I laughed a bit maniacally, and Phil moved to wrap an arm around Mom as she sniffled. "Mom, you can't believe him. He's just trying to make me go back. But I'm not ready."

"Honey-"

I shook my head harder, nearly feeling my brain moving within my skull with the ferocity of the fast movement. "I'm _not ready_."

"Nori!" I froze at her suddenly strict voice — a tone I'd _never_ heard from my mother. Her face was heartbreaking, but her tone was frustrated and angry. I couldn't blame her. I was throwing a tantrum like a two year old.

"It wasn't Seth," she said softly. "It was Sue."

I swallowed. While Seth could be a devious little kid sometimes, Sue would never tell a fib. She was too goodhearted. And for her to be the one to call my father's ex-wife meant that it really _was_ serious.

"There was a wreck. Your father-" She paused, gasping for breath. "Charlie had a hemorrhage or something . . . there's bleeding in the brain . . . And they don't — they don't know if he'll—" Tears rolled down her face as she looked down, gripping the back of the couch as Phil did his best to comfort her.

While my mother did not love my father the way he had for years, she still cared. It was obvious in her demeanor and the way she spoke so highly of Dad when talking to me. They'd been a team, raising two daughters from thousands of miles away. It took a deep level of friendship to handle it all.

I sucked in a breath as I tried to understand. "W-What?"

Mom's eyes moved up to meet mine as she whispered, "Baby, he's in a coma. And they can't say if he'll recover or not."

The onslaught of emotion suddenly and immediately disappeared as a numbing feeling overcame my senses, as if my body couldn't handle the amount of emotional turmoil brewing. It was the same feeling I'd felt three years prior when I'd moved from my bed after three days of pity partying.

Funny how it always took this emotional turn to make me leave the places I loved, or go back to them.

I didn't speak a word as I turned and headed into my room, though I could hear my mother following. Phil hovered in the doorway behind her as she watched me pull out a rolling suitcase from my closet and began unloading armfuls of random clothes from each drawer.

"Nori, w-what are you doing?"

I paused, keeping my eyes down on the suitcase as I fought to keep from breaking down. I was stronger than this — I could handle anything life threw at me.

What I couldn't handle was losing my father, and I wouldn't sit around in Florida while he fought for his life three thousand miles away.

Taking a steadying breath, I murmured the words that I truthfully thought I wouldn't say for another few years.

"I'm going to Washington."


	5. Four

**GUYS I'M BACK**

 **It is currently two in the morning and I have to be up in three hours to work. BUT I FINALLY WROTE ANOTHER CHAPTER :D**

 **I could fill up this author's note section with a million apologies, but I'd rather use the space to explain myself. For the past month, I have barely had the chance to breathe, much less sit down and write. I thought for a while there that I would never have the opportunity to finish this book and then when I could actually find moments to type out a few paragraphs on my phone, I could never find the inspiration or ideas to do so.**

 **Basically, life got in the way this month. Between switching universities, moving out into my first apartment, starting a new job, dealing with the murder and funeral of a dear friend, traveling back and forth to take care of two younger siblings while juggling the rest of adult life, and finding an internship for credits towards graduation, I have literally had no time to dedicate towards this.**

 **The good news, though, is that I am now at a point where things have smoothed out slightly.**

 **I will be finishing this story. It may be slow, but I promise not to go so long without another update. I will find the time to write if you guys will stick with me and continue to support Solstice with your wonderful feedback and reviews.**

 **Also, to those who received notice of an Author's Note: what happened was that I logged on to find a review and several PMs from people bashing me for not updating and being downright cruel about both me and my story. I wrote a long rant about it and posted it, but decided to take it down due to the fact that I did not want to feed into the drama or negativity. I love all of my reviewers - even the ones who don't love my work.**

 **If any of you have questions or concerns, please feel free to message me. And don't forget to review with feedback and ideas!**

* * *

 **Seth's POV**

Watching Nori leave Washington without a fight was like watching someone set off a timed bomb.

We all knew it would blow up in our faces.

We just didn't know when.

-/-/-/-/-/-

 **Nori's POV**

 _Beep._

 _Beep._

 _Beep._

 _Whoosh._

Three hundred and two stitches.

Ten and a half hours of surgeries.

Three cardiac arrests.

One cerebral brain hemorrhage.

One indefinite coma.

My dad was a broken lump and I couldn't do anything but stare at his pale, battered form in shock.

It's funny — I used to see my father as a sort of indestructible superhero as a kid. No matter how many terrifying, near-death situations he'd been in, he always seemed to find a way back home in one piece.

And he had done it a million times.

He had been in shootouts with armed robbers in Port Angeles and saved a kidnapped girl and her baby from an irate boyfriend who was high out of his mind on methamphetamines. He had walked straight into domestic situations involving dangerous weapons and had had more than his fair share of guns pointed in his face. He had been shot at, nearly stabbed, punched, kicked, and verbally attacked more times than he could count over the years, and yet he never strayed from his job.

He wanted to save people. And for that, he was my hero.

 _Beep._

 _Beep._

 _Beep._

 _Whoosh._

Glancing up at the small clock on the wall above the bed, I nearly blanched when I saw the time. It had been seven hours since I arrived in Washington, and every second since driving into Forks had been spent by my father's bedside.

I was still debating over whether stepping off of the plane in Seattle had been such a good idea.

 _Seeing the world from over thirty thousand feet above the ground immediately put my stomach in knots as I gripped the edge of my seat and struggled to swallow down the bile creeping up my throat. I'd never been good with heights, and having the window seat was just the cherry on top._

 _"First time?"_

 _I let out a shuddered breath and glanced up at the elderly woman in the seat next to me. Her bright, white hair curled against her head like a cloud of cotton, and thin wire glasses rested on the tip of her wrinkled nose. She seemed like the kind of woman who would portray the sweetest grandmother in any film, but the hard set to her brow and the calluses of her boney hands working the knitting in her lap proved that she'd suffered her fair share of hardship in her lifetime._

 _I shocked my head with as little movement as possible to keep the nausea at bay and cleared my throat lightly. "I'm not really a plane person," I admitted softly as the contraption holding all two hundred passengers floated through the air._

 _The woman patted my hand that gripped the arm rest between us and chuckled. "Well, honey, we've still got four hours left and I'm not too keen about you throwing up on my good shoes." She lifted her feet as if to prove a point, but the tattered Mary Janes she wore only caused me to snort and crack a smile._

 _She patted my hand again. "There you go. Now why don't you tell me why you're heading all the way to Washington on your own," she suggested as she moved to continue with her knitting. "That'll keep your mind off of the heights," she added with a whisper and a wink._

 _I chuckled and silently thanked God for this woman's existence. Flying to Florida three years prior, I'd puked on a young businessman's suit jacket before I could run to the restroom. Needless to say, I had feared the worst when I'd boarded._

 _"M-My dad is in the hospital," I offered, keeping my gaze forward and blinking the tears from my eyes. I didn't need to dwell on it. Sue had said he was doing well, save for the bleeding in his brain. The doctors were hopeful, but with major injuries, there was always a risk and a survival rate to consider._

 _I kept praying that he'd open his eyes when I got there._

 _"Mmm," the elderly woman hummed. "My grandson was in the hospital in Florida. Motorcycle accident." She shook her head with a tisk. "I swear, you young folk do the craziest things."_

 _I snorted. "My sister jumped off a cliff once," I said, remembering Bella's suicidal attempt so long ago, just before I'd returned to Washington from North Carolina. "They do it for sport in my hometown."_

 _"It's a wonder they haven't all broken their necks," the woman mused. "You sound like you miss this hometown of yours." The woman glanced at me slyly. "What made you leave?"_

 _My stomach clenched into knots, as it always did when someone asked that question. It was common enough; it made its way into small talk every time I met a new face._

 _Shrugging one shoulder up to my ear, I stared down at my lap and took a steadying breath as I outlined the creases in my knuckles with my eyes. "It's a long story," I mumbled._

 _"Honey, I've got time."_

 _I offered the elderly woman a small smile as she squeezed my hand. "Too much happened there in such a short amount of time. I needed to clear my head." I laughed one hard, burst of air. "Three thousand miles seemed like a good thinking distan-."_

 _"Care for any drinks, ladies?" The airline hostess asked as she walked by with a cart of soda and water. I shook my head with a small, polite smile while the elderly woman reached into the purse by her side to fish out a handful of bills._

 _"Two Cokes, dear," she said kindly as the hostess quickly handed over two cold cans and took the dollar bills._

 _The woman handed me a can, to which I murmured a soft, "Thank you," before she moved to continue her knitting, her brows creased in concentration._

 _I cracked the can and took a sip of the carbonated beverage, reveling in the feel of it burning my tongue while the woman simply ignored her own drink sitting in the cup holder between us. Her face grew thoughtful as a sad smile tilted her lips. "The past will always catch up to you, honey," she said in response to my interrupted words. "No matter how far you run, you'll have to face the music someday." Her eyes flickered over to meet mine as I stared at her in earnest. "Was it a boy?"_

 _Grimacing, I looked away before nodding slightly. "It's complicated," I finally whispered after a short pause. I moved my gaze down to my lap and fiddled with my fingers._

 _"Honey, life is complicated," the woman exclaimed with a chuckle. "But — oh shoot, how does it go?" She stopped her knitting to furrow her brows and narrow her eyes at the seat in front of her as she thought hard for a moment. Suddenly, her expression lightened. "Oh, yes. 'Sometimes the questions are complicated, but the answers are simple.'"_

 _I opened my mouth to respond, but closer it quickly as I replayed the Dr. Seuss quote in my head. I had come across the same words on an Internet meme before, but never took the phrase to heart._

 _Now, though, the words hit too close to home._

 _She shot me a knowing smile before focusing on her knitting once again._

 _"Now, drink that Coke, honey. It'll help with the airsickness."_

"How are we doing today, guys?"

I jumped from my daze and glanced up just as a cheery Angela Weber scurried into the room, decked out in colorful nursing garb and carrying a clipboard. Her dark hair was pulled back in a neat, no nonsense bun at the base of her neck and her pearly whites were on display as she grinned down at my unconscious father before moving her gaze to me.

I shrugged and cleared my dry throat. "No change."

Angela's smile never faltered as she quickly checked the machines and jotted down information on her clipboard. "No worries. These things take time."

I wasn't sure if I liked the idea of spending more time in Washington.

 _Beep._

 _Beep._

 _Beep._

 _Whoosh._

My fingers itched to rip the damn machine's plug from the wall while my foot tapped in quadruple-time against the shiny linoleum floor. Anxiety coursed through my veins, sending my nerves into a frazzle as my brain racked through all of the possibilities. I was certain that if I bounced my leg any faster or harder against the floor, it would break through the linoleum.

"Dad," I whispered, sounding more like a whining child than a worried adult.

His pale, broken form was hidden by hospital blankets up to his chest, though his arms were evenly placed over the top with several different needles and bandages covering them. He'd broken his right forearm and had lacerations from the windshield glass requiring stitches all along his left. His head was wrapped in a white bandage, and the skin of his face was black and blue with several cuts marking it.

I blinked back tears as I leaned forward and grasped his hand in mine.

 _It was one in the morning when my connecting charter plane from Seattle touched down in Port Angeles. I was exhausted, mostly due to my internal clock reminding me that it was four a.m. in Jacksonville and I should have fallen asleep long ago._

 _I yawned as I struggled to carry my heavy duffle on one shoulder and my book bag of miscellaneous items on the other. I needed a hot shower and a good, uninterrupted sleep._

 _"Nori!"_

 _I blinked hard and scanned the practically empty terminal through hooded eyes. Standing at the far end were three figures, and I nearly dropped my duffle in my haste to run across the room to greet them._

 _Kim reached me first, her thin, tan arms squeezing the air out of me as she gushed nonstop in my ear._

 _"I can't believe you're back! I can't believe you're here! I- am I dreaming? I feel like I'm going to wake up and you'll still be a Skype call away!"_

 _I laughed and hugged her tightly before leaning back just in time for Sue to wrap me in a second hug. I was taller than her by a good four inches, but I still felt surrounded by motherly love as she sniffled into my shoulder and patted my back._

 _"Oh lord, child, you've grown!" she exclaimed as she stepped back and took in my appearance. I did the same for her._

 _She had aged in the three years since I had left, and I wondered if it was due to stress in regards to the pack. Her once black hair was streaked with gray and curled under her jawline, with short bangs straight over her brows. It was a stark change to the braided, waist length tail I was used to seeing._

 _Her tired eyes zeroed in on my nose. "Is that a fashion statement?"_

 _I laughed and shrugged as I reached up to touch the ring pierced through one nostril. "Nah, just a dare."_

 _Sue rolled her eyes as Kim snorted. "You're just like your father," she muttered as another body pulled me away from her to wrap me in a third hug._

 _"I really hope you weren't planning on forgetting about me," a deep voice complained, and I laughed as I hugged my stand-in little brother with all the strength I had in me._

 _"Never," I promised into his t-shirt before stepping back and looking up at him. He had grown so much, both in age and height. It was strange seeing him now, with the stubble on his face and the wisdom in his dark eyes that still held a sense of mirth._

 _Seth took the bags from my shoulders, ignoring my protests before a warm smile formed in Sue's face. "Well, let's get you home. I know you've got to be tired, girl!" She rubbed my shoulder affectionately before looping an arm through mine and leading us towards the doors._

 _Between Kim, Seth, and Sue, the ride back to Forks was filled with questions on my life in Jacksonville and what my plans were now that I had part of my degree. They already knew the answers, since they were still as much a part of my life as before; it was just a stalling tactic, and to be honest, I was perfectly okay with it for the time being._

 _We passed the Welcome to Forks sign and my heart rate increased tenfold. I wasn't ready for this. I hadn't fully prepared myself for this return._

 _I bit my lip and clenched my hands into fists to keep my fingers from shaking._

 _Sue pulled her midsized SUV into the driveway of my father's home. Her headlights reflected off of the old, two-story white house and the two cars already in the driveway._

 _I recognized them immediately._

 _"He kept them?" I gasped to myself, but they all overheard._

 _Sue nodded from the driver's seat and sent me a sad smile. "He couldn't bring himself to sell them."_

 _I sucked my lower lip into my mouth and took a steadying breath to keep my emotions in check as I stared at my old white car and Bella's monstrous red truck, sitting side by side in the drive._

 _It was as if we had never left. I half expected Bella to come walking out the front door with Edward._

 _"Jacob had a hell of a time keeping them both in shape for your Dad, though."_

I squeezed my eyes shut and held Dad's hand tightly in my own.

 _Beep._

 _Beep._

 _Beep._

 _Whoosh._

"Do you remember that summer when I almost drowned? God, I couldn't have been more than five years old."

I smiled softly, not bothering to wait for an answer that I wasn't going to receive.

"I let the current drag me out too far and I was too weak to fight it. If those older kids hadn't snatched me up out of the water when they did, I would've . . ." I trailed off as I shook my head, not wanting to think of that.

I stroked the back of my father's limp hand and pressed my lips together for a moment as tears filled my eyes. Sucking in a deep breath, I let a watery laugh leave my lips.

"I woke up to you telling me I wasn't allowed to die. You were promising everything in the world as long as I didn't die."

I stared at my father's face intently, silently willing him to open his eyes.

"Well, I haven't been daughter of the year for a long time now and I haven't been around when you needed me," I whispered, "but I'll promise everything in the world if it means you'll open your eyes."

A tear escaped the edge of my right eye, sliding down my cheek in one long, wet streak. It was quickly followed by others, leaving my cheeks wet and splotchy as I let the dam I had carefully crafted and held up crack and break.

 _Beep._

 _Beep._

 _Beep._

 _Whoosh._

"Daddy, don't die on me."

-/-/-/-/-/-

I woke up to Billy and Old Quil sitting across my father's bed from me. They were sitting near his bedside, quietly murmuring to each other as the machines beeped and suctioned air in the background.

I had curled up on the small cushioned chair in the corner shortly after my breakdown and fallen asleep to the sounds of the machines breathing for my dad. It was peaceful in a demented way.

"Good morning," Billy greeted me with a smile as I sat up and ran a hand through my messy, short hair. "We were wondering when you'd wake up."

I offered them a small smile and straightened my rumpled clothes out a little. "Sorry," I mumbled, embarrassed at being caught in such a disheveled mess. I hadn't showered in over a day and the clothes I was wearing were the same I had put on the day before when I had left Florida. I was positive my mascara had run and turned the base of my eyes black and my cheeks were most likely blotchy and red from the crying and being pressed against the leather chair arm as I slept.

If either of them noticed the state I was in, they didn't seem to care — either that or they were too sympathetic to say anything about it.

"How long have you been here?" Billy's eyes were intent on me, while Old Quil glared at my father's machinery and made a point to show his disdain for modern medicine. He was a firm believer in the power of the spirits and natural remedies of his people.

I shrugged and glanced at the clock. _11:42_. Glancing out the window, I could tell that the bright sun meant it was late morning, and I had slept for a solid three hours.

"Since two this morning," I admitted softly as I leaned forward and rested my forearms against my thighs, putting me closer to my father's bed as I watched his chest rise and fall with the machine's help. "I needed to see him."

Billy nodded. "He's doing better. When they first found him . . ." He took a shuddering breath in and sighed. "We weren't sure if he would even make it through the night. But, your father is a fighter. It's something you inherited."

He sent me a knowing glance. "You should go see them," he murmured after a moment.

I didn't have to question who he was talking about; I knew he meant the pack. I swallowed thickly as anxiety amped up my heart rate. "I doubt they want to see me."

Billy chuckled hard, startling me and causing Old Quil to snort. "You know as well as I do that they just want you back, Nori. We all do." He cleared his throat, bringing my attention to his piercing gaze. "We _all_ do." His emphasis didn't go unnoticed. I wondered if he meant it towards Jacob or Embry.

"You should go home and get some sleep. Get away from here and clear your head," he suggested, and I knew it was his way of telling me I needed to clean myself up and get it together. He was just trying to be polite about it, which I appreciated.

I nodded and stood, shooting one last glance at my father's motionless form. Only his chest rose with each breath. "He'll be here tomorrow," Billy said. "Go on."

Sighing, I turned and headed for the door. Just as my hand touched the knob, Billy's voice stopped me. "Oh, and Nori? There is a bonfire tomorrow night. You should go."

Biting my lip, I tapped my fingers against the doorknob. I wasn't ready to see everyone, but I knew I couldn't avoid them forever. I needed to get this over with. I needed to make an appearance, face my fears, say hello, and be the strong person my father had raised.

I needed to stop running away.

Without turning around, I murmured a soft, "I'll be there," before I opened the door and walked away.


	6. Five

**PLEASE DON'T HATE ME TOO MUCH**

 **I know I disappeared for a while there, but I'm back! Between life, depression, and writer's block, I just haven't been able to spit out a decent chapter. To be honest, I don't even think this is a decent chapter, but it's more of a filler at the moment. I just needed to post _something_ , and I figured getting Nori's inner thoughts and emotions as she tries to deal with returning to Washington would be a start.**

 **With** **Christmas break coming this Friday, I should have more time to sit back and write. Please don't give up on Solstice, guys. I have so many ideas and plans for Nori and her many love interests, the Volturi, the pack, and Charlie. I just hope I will have the motivation to write them all out.**

 **Your reviews and PMs have been amazing during this time, and I hope you all know just how much I appreciate your support!**

 **And now, enjoy this short, super shitty, kind of important chapter.**

* * *

The minute I stepped out of the hospital, the feeling of being watched immediately became apparent. My nerves cooled, my stomach clenched, and the fight or flight notion began screaming in my head.

But I knew it was the wolves, and that knowledge was enough to calm me down as I drove back to my father's house across town.

It still blew my mind how untouched everything was. It was as if the town had frozen in time, and I had been the only one aging. Stores were the same, homes were the same, and even the people hanging out in their usual spots, from the older men out front of the hardware store to the crackhead girl bumming dollars at the only red light in town, hadn't changed a bit. My heart twisted in my chest at the familiarity of everything.

Parking my little car beside Bella's monstrosity of a truck, as I had done a million times before I'd left, I shifted the gear into _park_ and leaned back as an old CD played music softly in the background.

Seth had mentioned that Jacob had kept our cars running in top condition. A million questions filled my mind as I dwelled on that fact, distracting myself from the other thousand problems I needed to worry over.

Why would Jacob take the time? Was it a favor to Dad, Bella, or to me? Did he know I would be coming back?

My heart twisted again and I reached up to rub it. Touching my chest, long healed after the scratches from my previous mental breakdown years ago, I could still feel the phantom pain of the separation.

As soon as I had left Washington, I looked for the pain. I waited for it to return full force. But the separation had attacked me in other ways - ways I had least expected.

I yawned. Sleep had been hard to come by after I'd left. Between the nightmares and the tossing and turning, I had practically given up on ever sleeping through the night again.

Shutting the car off, I stumbled exhaustedly up to the front door and locked it quickly behind me. An unlocked door was an invitation for visitors, and I wanted nothing to do with anyone until I absolutely had no choice.

I gazed around the kitchen and living room, my heart breaking at the obvious signs of my father's presence such a short time ago practically everywhere, from the single dish and coffee cup left to dry by the sink to the remote sitting on the arm of his favorite recliner, waiting for him to come home after a long day to flop down and turn on the latest game. The newspaper lay haphazardly on the coffee table, the kitchen pantry closet was open slightly from where he hadn't closed it all the way after searching for his usual bag of chips or bowl of prepackaged microwavable soup, and dirt smudges covered the carpet in the living room where he'd worn his boots to his chair on a particularly tiring day. He absolutely hated vacuuming because of the loud noise and back-and-forth repetition, so it had always been my chore.

Who had vacuumed in my absence? Had Sue volunteered, or was Dad forced to suck it up and do it himself?

My head began throbbing as the guilt, worry, and questions bombarded me again in full force. I hated myself for returning and hated myself even more for leaving in the first place. I was at an emotional impasse, with no real solution in sight.

I swallowed heavily and headed for my room.

-/-/-/-/-/-

 _The world is a vampire_

 _Sent to drain_

 _Secret destroyers_

 _Hold you up to th-_

I snatched my phone from the counter, nearly falling as I struggled to wrap a towel around myself with one arm and shut the water off with my foot. Flipping the device open, I held it to my ear without bothering to see who was calling. I had a feeling it would be my mother; I had yet to call her since arriving in Washington, and I was pretty sure she had already blown up my voicemails.

"I know, I know. I should've called you when I landed and I didn't, but in my defense, I just got back from the hospital and I haven't even eaten yet which means I'm choosing you over food and you know how much food means to me so we should really call it even," I sputtered out in one breath, my words flying out of my mouth too quickly for most people to understand.

A deep chuckle sounded from the other end of the line. "As much as I appreciate that and all, babe," a familiar voice spoke, causing me to roll my eyes in annoyance at my stupidity for not checking the caller I.D before answering, "I just can't call it even. I didn't even get a call before you got _on_ the plane."

Shit.

"In my defense-"

"You should've told me," Grant interrupted, his voice taking on a serious tone. "I didn't even know you left the state until your mom called me all frantic and shit an hour ago because she hadn't heard from you in two days."

I fell back onto the bed, still in only a towel with my short hair spiked in all directions, dripping onto my shoulders and soaking the blankets beneath me. I was freezing, as if the goose bumps covering my skin from head to toe weren't a telltale sign of that, but I embraced the physical discomfort that distracted me from my emotional turmoil.

I opened my mouth to explain myself, to tell him how weird things had been since I'd stepped foot in Washington, to pour out my fears and thoughts and guilt so he'd understand why I hadn't had a chance to call, but the only words that slipped out were a murmured, "I'm sorry." I had always burdened Grant with my problems, and now I was too drained to get into it.

Grant sighed. "It's cool, babe. But if you ever skip states without giving me a heads up again, I'm hopping on the next plane and coming after your ass. Got it?"

The humor in his voice as he joked to lighten the tension brought a small smile to my face. "Got it," I responded with a laugh. "After this trip, I probably won't leave Florida again for another three years, _at_ _least_."

"If you ever make it back here," he mused. "I'll bet my last ten dollars that you end up staying in that crazy backwoods hometown of yours."

If he'd been in front of me, I would have flipped the boy off. There was no way I would be staying in Forks for a prolonged period of time. I only needed to be there until Dad woke up, and then I'd be free to scurry back to Florida and my future.

The sooner, the better.

"Anyway, how's your dad doing?"

I rolled onto my stomach and picked at my nails as I gave him the details of my father's wreck and condition, including the surgeries and coma. My throat tightened as tears threatened to fall, but I swallowed them back like a trooper and held the emotions in. I couldn't afford to break down, especially with someone listening from three thousand miles away.

"Damn," Grant whispered. "I'm so sorry, Nori. I can't even imagine what you're going through."

I shrugged and paid close attention to a hangnail on my left index finger. "Yeah. I'm trying not to think too hard about it, you know?"

"Don't bottle it all up. That's not healthy, and you'll only end up exploding over something small later," he warned gently. "You've got my number though, so _use it_ and call me if you need to vent or something."

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks, _mom_." I brought my index finger up to my mouth and bit down on the hangnail with my teeth. It ripped from my flesh with a single yank and a spasm of pain. "On another note, I've been invited to a bonfire tomorrow night."

"And they got you to agree to it? What, did they come at you with guns and threats?"

I rolled my eyes and pressed my throbbing finger against the towel, grimacing as a little spot of blood seeped through the white fabric. Picking at my fingers was an anxious habit that had only gotten worse over the years. The torn flesh and chewed-down nails were a testament to that.

"No, they asked and I said I'd be there."

Silence.

"Just like that?" Grant finally asked, surprised.

I bit my lip and stared out at the setting sun as it splashed golden color over the green forest behind the house. A sudden sense of deja vu hit, making me shudder and look away. I had witnessed that same scene a thousand and one times over the years. It was so strange to see it again, as if I had never really left.

"Yep," I muttered. "Just like that."

My phone buzzed, alerting me to an incoming call. I pulled the device away from my ear and saw my mother's name in white, bold lettering across the screen.

"Shit, my mom's calling."

Grant burst into laughter and wished me luck before hanging up just in time to avoid any sarcastic comeback. He knew me too well, but I was thankful for his listening ear and loyal friendship. While everything else seemed to be falling apart around me, he was my one constant at the moment.

I pressed the green button on my keypad and brought the phone back to my ear with a deep breath.

"Hi, Mom."

-/-/-/-/-/-

Sleep had evaded me for three years, and whatever notion I had gotten into my head that I would possibly get a full night's sleep once I returned to Washington was straight up bullshit. I tossed and turned, stared at the ceiling off and on, and contemplated a future with no stress and no supernatural beings.

For the three hours and twenty-two minutes I actually did sleep, I dreamed of red-eyed vampires and angry wolves.


End file.
